Spot-light support



J. C. STEARNS.

' SPOT LIGHT SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.25. I919- Patented My. 11, 1919.

JASON C. STEARNS, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIPOT-LIGHT SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed January 25, 1919. Serial. No. 273,153.

T 0 all whom it may concern. v

Be it known that I, JASON C. STnAnNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester. in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Spot-Light Support, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a support for a spot light capable of use in many places but designed especially for use in supporting a spot light from an upright or inclined frame or rod on an automobile.

The principal objects of the invention areto provide a construction suitable for use either on an inclined or vertical supporting rod which will permit of the use of the spot light in the ordinary driving of the car so as to light. up the road and yet permit it to be used for illuminating an elevated sign, but in both cases absolutely prevent throwing the light into the eyes of a driver of an approaching car on the same Y so plish the objects of the invention first set forth above. The invention also involves features by which the construction is made strong and not likely to get out of order and it involves mechanism of a simple character not requiring mechanical experience for its operation, removal and replacement. Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan of a spot light shown as supported on a vertical post or rod by mechamsm constructed in accordance with this invention, parts being shown in section 1 Fig; 2 is a front elevation showing parts i in section;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to the cross- .hatched portion in Fig. 2 with the parts separated to l l Fig. 4 is a face new of one of the ele inents shown in Fig. 3;

permit removal of the spot Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another element of the device;

Fig. 6 is a side view with the supporting screw in section showing the limitation of the direction of the light when the spot light is in its normal position for running, and

7 is a similar view showing the lamp reversed and turned down to the lowest position possible.

The blinding of an approaching driver by the powerful lamps usually employed now-a-days on pleasure cars and the like 1s a public nuisance and must be done away with in some way. It has been found that drivers cannot'be relied upon to avoid this difficulty if they have means at hand that puts no check on them. I

The principal object of this invention is to provide an exceedingly simple means by which the spot light will be prevented from being turned into a position to blind an approaching driver and 'yet will be useful for all purposes for which a. spot light can be used including its detachment so that it .can be used for a trouble lamp.

In order to accomplish these results and also insure that when the lamp is removed and replaced it will be put in the right place, I have shown the spot light casing 10 as'mounted by any ordinary clamp 11 on an upright rod or bar 12 which as will appear hereinafter may be either vertical or inclined. As is usual the clamp 11 is provided with a swinging bracket 13 and this has'a circular fiat projection 14 having a rounded or convex circular edge and provided with a radial slot 15 therethrough. This is made of sheet metal and the convexing of the projection 14 at its edges is an important feature as will appear. This is designed to receive a screw connection 16 in the slot 15, a fixed head 17 being provided inside to form a stop against which to clamp the surface of the part 14 by means of an adjusting and fastening nut 18. -This is mounted to be adj ustcd along the'screw 16. The nut head is fastened permanently in position by the manufacturer and is not intended to be moved or adjusted except for repairs. while the nut 18 is provided with a knurled edge and is intended to be operated by the user by hand. 7

The screw.16 passes into the lamp casing 10 radially and has a fixed flange 96 inside. screw but that is providedwe}; a- Washer The lamp casing can turn .on the casin The screw 16 is rovided with two opposite fiat surfaces 25 adapted to pass into the slot 1-5 through the center thereof. This is for'the purpose of preventing the lamp being placed in the wron position with respect to the bracket or yo e 13.

In the ordinary use of the device the screw 16 is inserted in the slot 15 into which it will pass stated only when its flat sides are placed in the proper position. The head 17 passes in underthe convex flat surface 14 as indicated more clearly in Fig. 2,

and the screw 16 is thus fixed in position so that it cannot turn on its own axis. blow the nut lSis turned up by hand so that a depression 26 in its wall will fit around and clamp together the edges of the surface it and in that way the union of the lamp casing with the bracket 13 is fixed; It is to be observed at this point that any spreading of the edges of the slot 15 is absolutely pre-.

vented by the fitting of the convex surface 14: into the depression 26. These parts being clamped together as shown in Fig. 2 they are not only fixed so that the screw cannot turn, but any spreading of the walls of the slot is effectively pi'evented, the pressure being applied to the convex edges of the surface '14: by the concave surface of the depression 26.

The screw 16 being fixed in that respect it will be seen that as the nut 2st is screwed uptight by means of a wrench so that it exerts strong pressure on the ring members 21 and 20 and the adjacent surface of the hub 27 of the lamp casing, these parts also are held firmly in position with respect to each other but the lamp casing itselfv being held only frictionally between the smooth adjacent surfaces of the hub 27 and the washer 20 can be turned on the axis of the screw 16. Such turning is resisted by the frictional resistance so that the lamp will stay in any position to which it is turned.v However, it will be'seen that there is an important limitation to this turning. The lug 22 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is fixed, but the lug 23 on the lamp is so located as to come into contact with this pro- This lug' all when the lamp is set up so that the spot Fig. 6 nearly all the way around. until it'.

reaches its limiting position as shown in Fig. 7. Here again the lug comes into contact withthe upper surface of the lug and the light cannot be turned down into the of an approaching driver. This turning in both directions done without loosening any nuts or changing any adjustments and these adjustments cannot be changed by hand.

If, however, it is desired to place this lamp on a car having a slanting rod 12 for supporting it instead of a vertical one a wrench has to be applied to the nut 2i and the lug-22 adjusted differently for that usage. In cases where a lamp is to be made for a particular make of car this adjustment may be omitted. but it is an important feature when the spot. light is to be sold for use on all cars.

Of course it will be obvious that when it is desired to remove the lamp from-the bracket and use it for a trouble lamp the nut 18 is turned back by hand to the position shown in Fig. This does not inter fere with the adjustment of the lug 212 but it simply relieves the pressure between t ie head 17 and nut 18 and releases the lamp from the bracket 13 so that it can b re- -moved as a whole by drawing the screw 16 out of the slot 15 radially. The electrical wires of course pass through the screw 16 whichis hollow and enough slack is provided so that the lamp can be used all around the car as a trouble lamp or for finding articles in the road. or for any other purpose.

Now when it is desired to restore the lamp to its normal position it'has to be turned to such a point that the two fiat sides 25 will pass into the slot 15 and then if the lamp has been applied right side around it will be found that the adjustment and limitations indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 are retained absolutely Without any change There are only two positions in which it can be placed, one-in. the exact position shown,- and the other with the lamp point ing to the rear, the latter being a mistake which nobodyis likely to make.

In this way it will be seen that the above mentioned objects are accomplished, the light cannot be thrown into the face of as aproaching driver either when the spot light is being used in the regular course ot travel, or when it is being turned up to look at a sign, nor can it be while changing from one of these positions to the other. linethm'more. the removal of the lamp for other use simple and convenient and its replacement equally sowith no danger of its being put back in the wrong place or its adjustment being lost by the change: no tools are required for the uses which the lamp is to be put by the driver; and no changes can be made in the adjustment without the use of tools. However, the lamp is" so designed that it can be used whenever desired upon a difierent type of car by makmg adjustment for which-a wrench is of course required.

Although I have illustrated andtlescribed only one embodiment of the invention Iain aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilledin the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. 'lhere'l'ore I do not wlsh to be hunted to al the details of construction herein shown and described, but. what I do claim is l. The combination with a s )Ul; li 'ht cass h mg and asupportmgbracket, ot a screw connection between the bracket and spot light casing, about the axis of which the spot light casing is adapted to be turned, a.

circunilcrentiallv adjustable ring member .on said screw having a limiting lug. a lug from the casin means on said connection l'or detachably connecting it with the casing to-allow the spot light casing to be turned about the radial axis ot said connection int ndently ot' the bracket, a limiting lug carried by said means and adjustable about said radial axis independently ot'the casing, and means on the casing adapted to en gage said. lug when the casing is turned on said radial axis, whereby such turning motion of the casing is limited.

- bracket, of a spot light casin 3. The combination with a supporting a connection between them about the axis of which the spot light casing is adapted to be turned, a. limiting lug, a lug on the casing dapted to engage the first named lug when the easing is turned, and readily detachable means for securing said connection to the bracket and removing it therefrom without disturbing the relative positions ofsaid lugs, wher by the connection nd lamp easing can be removed from the bracket to permit. the lamp to be used as a trouble lamp without clianging the relative adjustment of said lugs.

4c. The con'ibination with a bracket, a spot light casing, and a connection between them in the form ofa screw arranged with its axis perpendicular to the surface of the casing from which itprojects, of a nut on the opposite end of said screw tor detachably fastening the screw to the-bracket, and a fixed head on the. end of the'screw most remote from th casing adapted to tit behind the surface of the bracket against which said nut presses for fastening the parts together.

5. The combination With a bracket having a radial opening through its side and provided with a flat surface with a convex edge substantiallysurrounding said radial slot, a screw extendingthrough said slot, a lamp casing supported by said screw, and a nut on the screw provided with a concave surface fitting the convex edge surface of the bracket for preventing the spreading of the sides of saidslot under pressure.

6. The combination with a bracket, a spot light casing. and aconnection between them in the fOIL of a screw, said bracket having a flatsnrface with a convex er. ge and pro vided with a radial slot opening through its side, said connection having flattened walls adapted to lit in said slot to prevent turning of the connection when applied to the bracket, ot a nut provided with a concave surface litting the convex edge surface of the bracket for preventing the spreadin of the sides of said slot under pressure in testimony whcreoi I have hereunto attixed my signature.

JASON STEARNS. 

